se!"

"That's right," Pilot Matthey nodded. "That's what you called 'em.
. . . It took us a whole day to work past the tides of the Start.
Then, about sunset, a light draught off the land helped us to Bolt
Tail, and after that we mostly drifted all night, with here and there
a cat's-paw, down across Bigbury Bay. By five in the morning we were
inside the Eddystone, with Plymouth Sound open, and by twelve noon we
was just in the very same place. It was Christmas Eve, sir.

"I looked at Daniel's face, and then a notion struck me. It was
foolish I hadn't thought of it before.

"'See here, boys,' I says. (There was three. My second son, Sam,
Daniel, and Daniel's brother, Dick, a youngster of sixteen or so.)
'Get out the boat,' I says,' and we'll tow her into Plymouth.
If you're smart we may pluck her into Cattewater in time for Daniel
to catch a train home. Sam can go home, too, if he has a mind, and
the youngster can stay and help me look after things. I've seen a
many Christmasses,' said I, 'and I'd as lief spend this one at
Plymouth as anywhere else. You can give 'em all my love, and turn up
again the day after Boxin' Day--and mind you ask for excursion
tickets,' I said.

"They tumbled the boat out fast enough, you may be sure. Leastways
the two men were smart enough. But the boy seemed ready to cry, so
that my heart smote me. 'There!' said I, 'and Dicky can go too, if
he'll pull for it. I shan't mind bein' left to myself. A redeemed
man's never lonely--least of all at Christmas time.'

"Well, sir, they nipped into the boat, leavin' me aboard to steer;
and they pulled--pulled--like as if they'd pull their hearts out.
But it happened a strongish tide was settin' out o' the Sound, and
long before we fetched past the breakwater I saw there was no chance
to make Cattewater before nightfall, let alone their gettin' to the
railway station. I blamed myself that I hadn't thought of it
earlier, and so, steppin' forward, I called out to them to ease up--
we wouldn't struggle on for Cattewater, but drop hook in Jennycliff
Bay, somewhere inside of the Merchant Shipping anchorage. As things
were, this would save a good hour--more likely two hours. 'And,'
said I, 'you can take the boat, all three, and leave her at Barbican
steps. Tell the harbour-master where she belongs, and where I'm
laying. He'll see she don't take no harm, and you needn't fear but
I'll get put ashore to her somehow. There's always somebod